Losing the Rat Race: The (Mostly) Journalism Edition

The gap between the haves and have-nots is widening. But the story that so many hear from mass media — if not also from friends and family — is that you just need to work harder — and that talented people make it because they have something to give to the world. The era of perpetual parental support (assuming it is even possible) is now upon us — with the increased pressure of downward mobility.

Today, students and college-educated young women who seem as though they might have parental financial assistance (even if they do not) have proven an easy-to-exploit workforce. The expectation that one will be available to work for free extends beyond those from wealthy families,…. And women remain financially insecure for longer and longer, thanks in part to parental largesse and trust funds, but also in part to parental and individual financial struggle and debt.

the news media’s current economic climate doesn’t just shrink newsrooms and kill magazines: it also reifies professional class barriers, making it tougher for aspiring journalists from working-class backgrounds to obtain steady jobs or big soapboxes.

And I can understand why so many give up on trying to use their degrees in journalism. Thank you, Gawker for pointing out in the midst of the snark about disgraced plagiarist Jonah Lehner’s speech for Knight Foundation’s 2013 “Media Learning Seminar” that for a lunchtime talk he was paid $20,000— the equivalent of almost half of the 2012 Median Income of US households ($45,018). For his 45 minute talk, he was paid more per hour than Adele — who makes £41,000 (about $63,600) a day!

One small step I’ve made to appreciate the strivers out there is to no longer watch award shows any more because they mostly celebrate who already have enough praise. The one touching moment I saw at the Grammy awards was when fun. (a band I abhor) thanked their families for supporting them through twelve years of touring — including letting them “live at home for a long time.” It shouldn’t be that hard out there to make it — but it is.

because saying “if you work hard, everything will turn out fine” ensures success is the other person’s problem alone. You don’t have to question your own luck or work ethic (if you’re doing fine you must have worked hard for it, right?) or offer any assistance!